Forgotten Legends: Savior
by Posativity
Summary: How did the dark and mysterious Shadowclan become famous for its evil, ambitious and untrustworthy leaders? It all started with the death of a dictating leader and a trip to demonclan. 1st in the Forgotten Legends Series.
1. Forgotten Legends

A/N: This is my first fan fiction! Yay! I wrote this a while ago but didn't get past the first chapter, so decided to complete it. This is the first story in a series of four (hopefully) looking at the clans before Firestar and the prophecies. Please rate, review and enjoy!

Edit: I added Shadowclan stats, so that you get a better idea about what the cats in the clan look like.

Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors nor do I claim to own them. However, the plot and the characters are mine so please don't steal them!

Warriors: The Forgotten Legends

Long, long ago, when the clans were still young, the forest was a very different place. But how did Shadowclan become notorious for its dark leaders, where did Thunderclan really get it's name from, why are cats mistaken when they accuse windclan of being weak and who saved Riverclan from losing their territory to a pack of rogues.

These are the warriors, medicine cats and leaders who helped shape the clans into what we know today. Friendships, battles, dictatorships and victories worthy of legends have all been forgotten.

Now it's time to remember.

**- - -**

**Shadowclan **- How did the dark and mysterious clan become famous for their evil, ambitious and untrustworthy leaders? It all started with the death of a dictating leader and a trip to demonclan.

- - -

**Shadowclan Stats:**

**Leader:**

Bitterstar – small, dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes and a terrible scar other her left eye.

**Deputy:**

Hawkclaw – black tom with curious, bright yellow eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Secretlight – light gray she-cat

**Warriors:**

Foxtail – ginger tom with fluffy tail (apprentice, Ashpaw)

Shadowheart – dark gray tom (apprentice, Willowpaw)

Wildfang – white she-cat with sharp fangs

Lionfur – golden-brown tom

Bluemoon – short silver-blue she-cat

Stormcloud – black and white tom (apprentice, Hollypaw)

Earthpelt – brown patched tom

**Apprentices:**

Willowpaw – golden tabby she-cat

Ashpaw – dark gray tom

Hollypaw – very dark brown she-cat

**Queens:**

Amberflame – dark ginger she-cat

**Kits:**

Coldkit – pale ginger she-cat

Oakkit – pale brown tom

Firekit – dark ginger she-cat

**Elders:**

Icetail – white she-cat with crooked black tail


	2. Murder in the Moonlight

Shadowclan: Savior

It was a cold night. Not even the half moons glow could penetrate the thick fog that night and it was the perfect cover for any cats who just happened to want take care of important matters. Four trees towered over a single cat, the mist made it difficult to make out any of his features and he appeared as one big black shadow. His tail twitched impatiently giving away the fact that he was waiting for someone. His mind was asking him questions; would they show up? What did they want with him? Would he still be alive by moonhigh?

A single cat entered the clearing, completely unnoticed by him until she was less then a few paw steps away. Her sudden appearance startled the cat, although he looked much stronger then her.

"Why, Silentstar, you seem shocked that I'm here," the young she-cat asked in a formal tone.

"Let's just say I wasn't expecting you of all cats to be the one who would challenge my authority," he replied, in his rough voice.

"Really? Why so father?" She paused but didn't wait for an answer. "I have promised the clan a leader who is capable of giving them what they need. You have few supporters in the clan. I'm sure they won't ask too many questions." The dark brown tabby smiled menacingly, aware that her fathers' heart was being torn into two just from her harsh words. She would do a lot more then that to him.

"Sweetscent!" Silentstar pleaded as his daughter crouched into her fighting position.

"My name is Bitterheart." She screamed at him and pounced. Her name was what caused the split between her and her father. She would never be taken seriously with a name like Sweetscent. Instinct had taken over by now and her father smoothly dodged before turning and quickly landing the first blow, catching her left side of her face with his heavy paw.

Pain and shock shot through her and she mewed like a kitten. Still, her father wouldn't let her get away with this. He slashed at her face again and again, hitting the same area without mercy.

"Please," she begged, her blood was turning the ground a sticky scarlet color but as far as he was concerned she was a threat to him while she was still alive.

Little did he know that this plea was the signal for her backup plan. Three cats jumped into the clearing, they had been carefully listening through the blinding fog ever since Bitterheart had arrived. Two muscular toms leapt upon their leader, clearly loyal to his daughter now. While they took turns biting and scratching at Silentstar the other cat raced over to help the fallen tabby.

At first the damage looked minimal, the clans medicine cat was surprised that she had yowled and pleaded but when she caught sight of the left side of her face she gasped. The fur was torn of in clumps around her eye; it was hard to tell where the blood was coming form she was such a mess. Bitterhearts eyes squinted open. She blinked a couple of times, each time becoming more frantic with panic.

"I can't see through my left eye!" She wailed. She looked up to watch the two toms claw at her father. She stood up unsteadily and the medicine cat had to get up quickly to support her. They made their way over to Silentstar and the toms finally moved away from their fallen leader to give his daughter some space to finish him off.

She gazed down at the beaten tom. She had chosen the right cats for the job. He was limp and bleeding badly on his side. It was hard examining with just one eye, in fact the young she-cat would be surprised if she could ever fight even half as well as she had been able to less then an hour ago. Her thoughts were interrupted as her father coughed up blood. It was obvious he was in pain and aware that soon the inevitable would come. But Bitterheart would not give him that satisfaction.

"I want you two to stay here. Rough him up a bit more if you wish. Just make sure he suffers for what he has done. I want this death to be slow and painful. Then bury him so deep Starclan will never be able to reach him."

The two cats nodded, happy to obey whom they thought deserved to be the leader. They continued to bite and scratch the cat enough to hurt but not kill him. Bitterheart smiled, the clan was hers as soon as he was dead and buried. She already had three followers; the rest of the clan would be easy. The terrible dictatorship the cats in her clan had suffered through would be a thing of the past and compared to her father she would seem like she had been sent from Starclan to help the clan.

The tabby nodded at the medicine cat, which supported her weight as she walked back towards the camp and she smiled cruelly as she listened to her fathers' pleas for the cats to put him out of his misery. Although some part of Bitterheart felt a ping of sympathy for her only living relative she quickly put it out of her mind.

- - -

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Please R + R and tell what you think!


	3. Tears or Blood

A/N: I noticed the last chapter was quite short. So are the next few chapters but it's only to build tension. Anyways, this chapter might be a bit slow but it's all worth it.

"Silentstar is dead!"

"We're free."

"Who will lead us now?"

Bitterheart smiled as the cats around her talked. The whole of Shadowclan didn't seem to know how to react. Happy and sad faces filled the clearing, none of them noticing the proud look upon her face. She glanced up at Secretlight, the clans' medicine cat. She had been the one to announce the death of the leader.

Her plan was running as smoothly as she had planned. No one seemed suspicious about the fact that he had left the camp with three other warriors to stop a badger, even though it was completely out of character. Or that one of the cats who had gone with him was his daughter, who hated him with all her heart. Or even that he had been first killed and then dragged away by the beast, despite Badgers never being known to have done that before. With the dictating leader dead the clan was free but also without food, herbs or a deputy to take his place. Bitterheart was fairly sure that all the cats would believe that trustworthy Secretlight had a sign last night about which the new leader should be. It wouldn't even matter that she had never had an apprentice and was only a few moons older than one herself.

A cough came from the light gray medicine cat and the cats quickly stopped their chatting and looked up to where she was sitting, on top of a large boulder. They were all eager to know who the next leader would be. Excited whispers came from the most likely candidate; Lionfur. He would be the most troublesome cat; he was brave, noble, and strong. Everything a clan would want in a leader, he already had followers. His only downfall was that he was trusting and loyal. Other cats might complain but he would support Bitterheart if Starclan did.

" I know you are all wondering about who the new leader should be," Secretlight called out, interrupting Bitterheart's thoughts. "Last night I had a sign from Starclan. I didn't know what it meant until I woke up today and saw the warrior. The message was; the cat who cries blood will lead you to victory."

Gasps came from all around her, and she faked a look of surprise. Bitterheart's left eye was still blind, but as she had noticed late last night that it would often start crying blood.

She stood up, suddenly feeling mixed emotions about the whole plan. Tears filled her right eye as she thought about what she was going to do next. Her father was dead, she was expected to lead a clan and there was no going back anymore. There were whispers from behind, some in agreement that she should lead the clan, others objecting angrily. Still, no one dared question the medicine cat. They were used to changes happening against their will because of her fathers' strict ways. Slowly and unsurely, she made her way to the top of the rock.

"Bitterheart will make her way with Foxtail and Hawkclaw to receive her nine lives today." The medicine called out. "When she has had time to think about it, she will choose the deputy. Until then Lionfur should sort out some cats to hunt and another group to patrol the borders. Everything should go back to normal as quickly as possible to so that we can forget this nightmare."

Bitterheart hid a frown. Why leave Lionfur in charge, of all the cats she could've chosen? There was no time to talk to the medicine cat about her decision; she would have to leave immediately if she wanted to speak to Starclan tonight. She carefully jumped off the rock and towards her two faithful companions. They had been the cats to help her the night before. They already had a small pile of bitter looking herbs to stop their hunger and beside them was one for her. She quickly gulped the down the sharp taste and then flicked her tail for them to follow her.


	4. Rejected

A/N: A stupidly short chapter, but I needed to introduce Bitterhearts two followers. I think it's better for them to be short than long. No one wants to read lots and lots of endless paragraphs, do they? Anyway, please tell me what you think so far!

Bitterheart panted gently, worn out from the long journey from Shadowclan to the Highstones. She was sitting outside Mothermouth waiting patiently for Foxtail and Hawkclaw to catch up with her. It was still light, she would have to wait before entering anyway. Out from behind some hedges popped Hawkclaw. He was her best friend and her most loyal follower. His pelt was a beautiful pure black but she adored his eyes more than anything else. They were a frighteningly bright yellow and could scare away the most daring cat with a glance. His muscular body made her shiver with some unknown feeling and he could comfort her with his voice alone. She knew that if she weren't about to become the clan leader she would be his mate. Now she could only imagine what their kits would look like.

Foxtail was close behind. The ginger tom looked like he would've liked to stay at the camp. He was another loyal follower of Bitterheart and was the other cat from the night before but she knew that he was more loyal to his newly born kits, than to anyone else. He looked up at the sky, before turning to her.

"Do you think she should go in yet?" The Hawkclaw asked.

"It's almost dark, she may as well go inside," Foxtail replied before Bitterheart could say anything. She glanced at him, slightly annoyed but nodded in agreement before heading into the cave alone.

It was darker than anywhere else she had ever been. The only thing that let off any light was the Moonstone, which shone brighter than the sun. It was blinding her right eye but she continued forward, determined to fulfill her destiny. She squinted, the stone was right next to her. Here she was, another soon to be leader, making history for her clan. She was dizzy with excitement and certain that she would never sleep but as soon as she had made herself comfortable and touched her nose against the stone she was out like a light.

Bitterheart awoke in a clearing unfamiliar to her. She looked around but instead of seeing the clear night sky or any familiar warriors who had long ago died she found herself in a dark, dirty place. The ground was hard and hurt her paws and an evil laugh filled the air.

"Bitterheart, Starclan has rejected you but Demonclan is more than willing to give you your nine lives. Are you ready." Bitterheart was filled with terror. Demonclan? All she did was kill her father. She didn't know she was selling her soul. She willed herself to wake up but she couldn't.

"There's no escape. Lets begin."


	5. Nine Lives

N/A: This chapter is so much better than all the others so far. It's the longest and the most interesting. It is inspired by a person on my old RP site. I hope she doesn't mind me drawing inspiration from her ideas but it is really hard thinking of nine evil qualities for a cat.

The bodiless voice faded away. First of all there didn't seem to be anyone around but out of the corner of her eye Bitterheart spotted a shadow of a cat. She spun around to face them but they had already disappeared. She hissed and cautiously turned around only to find the cat right in front of her. It leapt at her but instead of it knocking her down it seemed to enter her body through her left eye. She yowled in pain before she realized that she could see through her left eye again. Her surroundings became clear, every detail from the stones to the blood red sky became sharp, before suddenly the sight was lost and everything faded back to normal. She felt like crying, the sight in her left eye had gone again. It was like they were mocking her weakness.

"I am sight. With me you'll always see the enemy coming. Without the element of surprise they will be like helpless kits against you." The voice obviously came from the cat that had entered her body. Bitterheart wondered whether that was even possible.

Panic rose inside the dark brown tabby. If that was her first life what would the next eight be like? A cat appeared in the clearing, she hadn't seen it enter. It was in a fighting stance but all she could do was stand still, waiting for the inevitable. It leapt at her and bowled her over, ripping at her fur and the wounds from the night before. Before she could fight back the cat had gone, but Bitterheart knew it had entered her body like the last had. Her body was filled with strength but also pain. Never again would she fall due to her wounds. Next time it would be the over way around.

"I am strength. With me you can rip apart all who stand in your way. They will fear and respect you." Word by word the feeling left her body and her weakness returned to her, as if her body was rejecting their evil.

Another cat appeared from nowhere. It stepped towards her and she tried to move away but something held her to the spot she was standing in. It touched noses with her, disappearing in the process and painfully entering her body. This time words filled her head. Some whispers, some shouts. All the sudden thoughts were deafening and she could hear only one voice clearly.

"I am speech. With me you may never need to fight again. I am a powerful weapon when used correctly. Shame your enemies, confuse your foes and reassure your followers."

Her mind became silent and relief washed through her.

She had barely gathered her thoughts before a cat had entered her body without her having a chance to even look at them. Pain filled her body, more than any of the previous lives. She yowled in agony as she fell to the ground. She closed her eyes, wishing the pain away.

"I am pain. Embrace me and let out your physical and emotional pain when in battle." The pain remained there until Bitterheart determinedly opened her eyes and stood up. It left her quickly but the memory of it made her shake with hurt and fear.

Bitterheart had had enough of this torture. She ran forward, attempting to reach the uninviting forest surrounding the clearing but it seemed to stretch out forever. She could run and never leave this place. The she-cat refused to give up and continued to run. She was hardly surprised by the sudden appearance of another cat, which ran equally as fast as she did.

"You will never escape this place. I know. I've been here longer than you could imagine." Bitterheart looked over at the cat, it was merely a shadow like the rest, but unlike the rest it seemed to still have feelings. Namely sorrow. "But now I can leave because of you. I am your fifth life, sorrow. Bring me to those who stand in your way. Make them feel sadness and they are as good as yours." Its pelt brushed against hers and a deep depression pushed itself into her. Her left eye began to bleed, while the right eye dripped tears. She slowed down, finally coming to a halt and waited for her tears to dry.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting for her next life, a life she no longer wanted, the next cat came. It charged at her but all these sudden attacks had made her prepared. She stood up and watched as the cat charged forward at her left side. She hadn't fought since her injury but she was confident that she could stop this cat. As soon as it was within her reach she pounced but was shocked to find the space it was just in was now empty. A force hit her from her right side and she knew another life had entered her. A voice hissed into her ear as a feeling of power entered her body, along with the usual pain.

"I am deception. Trick your enemies until they can't tell what's truth from what is lies. Use this cunning to survive" Ideas entered and left her head in quick succession. Although she couldn't memorize them quickly enough, she knew that they were all bad. Nothing here was good.

Bitterheart looked around for the next cat, she would not be humiliated again. This time she found a cat sitting on a large rock that hadn't been there before. She could feel its ambition from where she sat, but curiosity drew her closer to it. It didn't seem to acknowledge her presence but if she didn't get this life she would never leave the dark place. She climbed the rock and touched noses with the cat, not knowing how else it would enter her.

"You have accepted your next life and embraced the darkness. I am ambition. Use your other lives properly and you will achieve your ambitions, but fail and I will consume you until you care for nothing but your desires." A feeling of lust ran through her, taking her over before suddenly she was calm.

She hoped what the cat had said was false; she couldn't be embracing the darkness. She was meant to help Shadowclan regain it's confidence, not destroy it all over again. She would have to run away, give up her position of power, and do anything to stop the cats inside her from taking over. But there were still two more left. A flash of lightening woke her from her thoughts. Bitterheart glanced up to find that dark clouds had covered the red sky. She was shocked to see that instead of rain, fire was falling from the sky, but it near seemed to reach her. There was another flash of lightening and the penultimate cat appeared. This cat walked towards her calmly, with the kind of confidence only a leader had. He dipped her head at her in respect.

"We have been waiting for you for a long time. All the lives, they used to be cats, each of them have gone against Starclans laws in their own way. They have given their life to you now and you must use them to your advantage."

"But, I'm not evil. Please, Starclan, help me," Bitterheart pleaded. She couldn't understand why this was happening to her. Other cats had killed, so why was she different.

"Starclan cannot save you from yourself," the tom let her take the information sink in before continuing. "Your father will explain what is happening, but first you need your eighth life. I am leadership. Lead those who support you to victory against all who oppose you. They are relying on you." He dipped his head in respect once more before walking into her. She gave a shudder as the weight of reliance crushed down upon her. She shook away the feeling and tried to make sense of what he had just told her.

Suddenly Bitterheart felt the ground shake beneath her and then slowly it began to rise, sending her up towards the fire pouring down from the sky. In an instant the ground below her was filled with shadowy figures like the cats that had entered her. The group stretched out as far as she could see. These were all the cats that had gone against Starclan! She didn't notice the shadowy figure that appeared beside her until it spoke.

"Welcome, my daughter, to Demonclan!"


	6. Father Dearest

A/N: The last chapter for a while. I'm going to write a few at a time before posting them, so that I can change things around easily. This is another longer chapter. I don't know where this is going yet. There are so many possibilities. Tell me what ideas you have. Remember to R and R.

Bitterheart gasped as she took in what she saw. Beside her sat her father, Silentstar. Unlike all the other cats she had encountered, he was not just a shadow. His similar dark brown pelt was covered in wounds from his death but everything else was how she remembered it. All apart from a scar over his left eye, which didn't look as fresh as the other injuries.

"This is Demonclan. The cats that dared defy Starclan. We are not as well known, of course, but all evil ends here. I am sure you have a lot of questions, but let me explain first and then we shall talk." He smiled menacingly but did not wait for his daughter to reply.

"Demonclan has been around for as long as Starclan. When Starclan does not accept a cat into their ranks we take them in. And if they refuse, we make them join us. But most accept our invitation. Starclan has always done its best to stop us from corrupting the minds of the living and up until now it has worked. But recently we have been able to make contact with the clans. We don't know why or how…but Starclan is certainly growing weaker as we grow stronger.

So we hatched a plan. A genius one. We would wait until the nine most evil cats had joined our ranks. We knew they were evil by them having a scar of some sort of the left side of their face, even if in life they didn't seem so bad. Thanks to you, yesterday I joined the ranks of Demonclan, completing the task.

So you may be wondering why you were chosen and what for. Well, many cats don't know about us, as I have said, but I have always remembered the time when an elder told me a story. It was a tale about an evil clan opposing Starclan. He told me that when nine cats with scars on the left side of their face had died and joined them, a new leader would come to receive their nine lives. Then the nine dead cats would possess the cat, mixing their darkness into the greatest evil ever known. This cat would return to the clans and at the full moon they would call upon the whole of Demonclan to takeover the clans.

So, why you? Well, daughter, I want revenge and what better way than to make all five clans want you dead. If you succeed we will have the clans. If you fail, you'll be dead and I, leader of Demonclan, will make your death a nightmare, from which you will never awake. All I had to do was scar your left eye enough to blind it, temporarily of course. Now you are our puppet and we shall do with you as we please. You may think you are in control at times, but you'll never be. We will always be with you, watching through your scarred eye."

Bitterheart couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father would really be so cruel. He had been a dictator in life, had cats killed if they went against him, but he had never gone so low before.

"Any final words?" His daughter silently shook her head. Something in her wanted the power, the rest of her body screamed for this madness to end. Her father touched her nose fondly, as if none of this had ever happened, and proceeded to push his way inside her. The pain could've crippled her for life and she was sure that every wound she had ever had was bleeding. All the previous pain and emotion had been combined together. They could've given her powers one at a time, but instead her father had decided to torture her by giving them to her all at the same time. "I am pure evil. Use me to kill without remorse, control the clans without guilt and lead Demonclan to victory with pride. Bitterheart, you shall now be known as Bitterstar."

The cats below her chanted her new name as she staggered about. In her pain she couldn't see were she was going. She stumbled over the edge of the raised ground; the only thing stopping her from plummeting to her death were her weak paws. Her father stood over her and smirked before slashing her across the face, sending her falling into the crowd of shadow cats. There was a painful thud as she landed, still alive, still able to see the fire rain and the cloudy red sky. Her breathing slowed down, she could barely keep her eyes open. All the new senses and feeling were overwhelming her; they were willing her to return to the clans so that she could fulfill her destiny. The cats around her pounced, ripping her to shreds. She gave up moving or even trying to breath. In this hell she could never die.


	7. A Broken Bond

A/N: Yay, 1 review. Thank you to Pinefur of DragonClan and I'll take note of your suggestion. This is another shorter chapter. I wrote two different versions of it but the first one I wrote was confusing because she had to speak to herself a lot, so I rewrote it and it was so much better. Enjoy and remember to R&R.

Bitterstar woke with a jolt. She was covered in a mixture of sweat and blood. Her dream had been as real as it had felt, she was in agony and her head ached badly, but it felt like she was alone. If some evil cats really had possessed her they were keeping awfully quiet. It scared her more than if they had been there. Her mind raced, she couldn't figure out what to do next. If she left the safety of the Moonstone Foxtail and Hawkclaw would want to know why she was shaking and covered in blood but if she stayed they would want to know why she was taking so long. Tears filled her right eye. It was then that she noticed how sharp everything looked. She had never seen the Moonstone so clearly; she could make out every detail. And she could see through her left eye. There was no way that what she had just experienced was a dream.

Blood began to drip from her left eye. She growled to herself. If she hadn't challenged her fathers' leadership another cat would've gotten scarred on their left eye. But she wouldn't wish this upon another cat. She deserved it, she would have to do her best to fight it and without anyone else getting hurt in the process.

Slowly the new leader walked to the cave entrance, after thoroughly cleaning herself of any blood. The sunlight burnt her eyes, especially the left eye and Bitterstar was sure it wasn't because she was used to using one eye by now. All the evil in her was living there, she could feel it. She hissed to herself as she left the cool comfort of the cave. Hawkclaw looked up from a piece of prey. Although she felt too sick to eat part of her felt like snatching it out of the warriors paws.

"Bitterheart?" He asked gently. The dark brown she-cat turned away. She wasn't the type of cat who liked to talk about her problems. It was easier to bottle them up.

"I'm Bitterstar now."

"You don't look very happy. Did Starclan say something?"

"That's between me and them. And it's none of your business how I feel." She snapped, instantly regretting the harsh words. He looked at her genuinely concerned and she threw it back in his face. She padded up to him quietly. "I'm sorry, Hawkclaw. I've just got a lot on my mind." His familiar smile returned to his face and his eyes brightened up.

"You do know you can talk to me, don't you?" He asked quietly, but before the she-cat could respond Foxtail had appeared from behind some bushes.

"Bitterstar! What did Starclan want with you? You were taking so long I thought you had gotten lost." The leader snarled at the mention of Starclan and stormed off, not touching the prey the warrior had just caught for her.

Foxtail did nothing but look at Hawkclaw questioningly. The three cats had known each other since they were young but Hawkclaw knew that Bitterstar had always had a special relationship with him. It was just getting the courage to make the first move that kept them apart. Whatever had happened in the cave it had been enough to make her angry when they mentioned Starclan. All the signs led to the same thing but Hawkclaw refused to believe it. Starclan couldn't deny a cat their nine lives just because they had planned and killed their own father and the leader of their clan.

Or could they?


	8. Growing Darker

A/N: Sorry this took a while to update. This chapters another long one though and I think it's pretty good because things are slowly getting darker. I've figured out the whole basic plot now. Also, I realised that I haven't mentioned the colour of Bitterstars eyes yet, which is stupid of me. Anways, Enjoy this chapter and always I hope you R&R.

The pleasant mid-morning sun did nothing to clam Bitterstars nerves. If anything it made them worse. She needed darkness outside to reflect what was happening on the inside. She could feel the evil in her spreading slowly. She had no idea how long she had before she would give in to Demonclan but even worse, she had no idea how she was going to take over the clans by herself. This thought made her shiver. How could she even think about taking over the clans?

The bushes rustled behind her and the young she-cat growled, she knew who was behind her before she had looked.

"I don't want to talk," Bitterstar hissed poisonously. "You have no right following me." She said the words so fiercely that the cat behind her stopped in his tracks. Hawkclaw could only watch her sadly as she walked back in the direction of Shadowclan. Bitterstar knew this was truly the turning point. She had never spoken like that to Hawkclaw and never imagined that she would. And this was only the start.

It was midnight when the familiar scent of Shadowclan filled her nose but somehow it smelt different. There was a distant reek of death and Bitterstar knew that this was a smell she would become used to. Every tree she passed seemed to have changed, although she knew it was just her, and when she entered the clearing gone was the pile of fresh-kill and familiar faces. In their place was blood, masses of it and bodies of the cats she had once known. She searched frantically through the bodies but couldn't find the one cat she was desperate for. There was a yowl and behind her, upon the rock where leaders stood was her true love, Hawkclaw, covered in the blood of other cats. He wore a look of victory on his face and a scar covered his left eye. A blinding white light shone from above and Bitterstar fell to the ground.

When Bitterstar finally gained the strength to open her eyes she found herself in the medicine cats den. She looked around unsurely, but there was no sign of the demonic place she had seen before she had blacked out. It was morning now, the sunlight lit up the den and was almost blinding. The leader couldn't figure out whether it was a dream or more than that. Could it have been a message, a prediction of what was to come? The brown tabby shuddered and closed her green orbs. It didn't matter what it was. What it meant was far more important and she would have to do it alone. Bitterstar waited for sleep to carry her away from the strange smelling den so that more dream could come but it never had the chance. Secretlight had entered the den to check on her.

"I promise you, I feel much better." Bitterstar yowled grouchily.

"Well, you do seem better. You were probably tired. What took you so long anyway?" the light gray cat questioned. Bitterstar could only look away angrily, making it clear that she didn't want to enter the conversation. "I think it would be wise to choose a deputy, by the way." Secretlight meowed, after an awkward silence. "Do you have any ideas on who to pick?" Bitterstar just smiled mysteriously.

"Who do you think I'll choose?"

"Let all cats come together for a meeting of the clan!" Bitterstar called out. Below her cats gathered around in groups. They stared up at their new leader, waiting for her to speak. They all knew what was coming and she could see them talk about who they expected to become their new deputy. More cats were glancing other at Lionfur than Bitterstar would've appreciated. Still, she had felt relatively normal since she had returned to Shadowclan, although she wasn't naïve enough to think it had all been some sort of nightmare. By now there was a decent size crowd below her. Everyone important was here, the rest could hear about it later.

"I know it's too late in the eyes of Starclan…" she paused momentarily at the mention of the clan who had rejected her, "It's too late to choose a deputy, but I'm sure they will forgive me, with all that the clan has been through. I have successfully received my nine lives and I'm ready to lead the clan to a brighter future." Part of her felt sick. None of this would be true, but what else was there to say? "I say this before Starclan so that they can hear and approve my choice. Hawkclaw shall be Shadowclans' new deputy."

There were mixed reactions from the crowd, many were looking at Hawkclaw who was making his way to the front to receive his congratulations from the clan. Others were muttering either in approval or disgust. And the rest where looking at Lionfur to see his reaction. Bitterstar could see from his face that he was not pleased with her choice and she couldn't blame him. After all he had done for the clan, even acting in change while she had gone to receive her nine lives. It had all been built up, especially with all the cats spreading rumors about him becoming the new deputy and then knocked down with a few words from a cat who shouldn't have even been leader. And now Hawkclaw was heading to the front to have it rubbed in Lionfurs face even more. And then there were all the other cats around him asking if he felt alright. Bitterstar couldn't blame him for his reaction.

The clan became silent as the golden tom ran out of the clearing. No one attempted to follow him out, it was clear he wasn't coming back. Bitterstar smiled, she had lost a great warrior but also succeeded in getting rid of her main rival within the clan. The clan was as helpless as a mouse in the claws of a cat now that they had no one else to turn to. With that dark thought her smile faded and the brown tabby wished that she could run away too and be free of the Demonclanners.


	9. Plotting Revenge

A/N: This is another longer chapter, YAY! Please, please review it. Come on peeps, 8 chapters and 1 review.

The full moon sat above the dark clouds, too high to be blocked by them. It was the night of the gathering; half a moon had passed since Bitterstar had arranged for her father to be killed. She had never imagined that she would be sitting above the other clans alongside their three other leaders. Except there weren't three other leaders, there were two.

"Thunderclan must be running late."

"Well they better hurry up." Snapped Duststar, the leader of Windclan. Rainstar just rolled her eyes. She was clearly annoyed by Duststar's complaining and by Thunderclan not bothering to show up on time. Bitterstar couldn't care less about either. She could see the cats below looking up at her, full of curiosity. They had all heard about Silentstars death but they wanted to know what the new leader had to say for herself. Most cats hadn't heard of her before now.

Worst of all, she could tell that rumors about her were spreading. Slowly the darkness inside her was coming out and most cats in the clan had noticed. She remained in her den when the sun shone brightest, she snapped at kits when they were too loud, she had even had ideas about how to change the clan, although she kept them to herself. Some cats would just mistake this for grouchiness but when all that was added to the fact that she couldn't talk about Starclan without hissing in disgust, she had an incurable need to taste blood and in practice fights she would show no mercy, it was clear that she had changed. Bitterstar knew it was only a matter of time before it went to the next level, soon she would kill.

Rustling interrupted her thoughts and she looked up to find the cats of Thunderclan entering the clearing. They looked exhausted; some had fresh battle scars while others wore looks of horror and sadness. The cat at the front, a white tom, stood in the middle of the clearing looking up at the leaders.

"I'm sorry that we are late but there was an unexpected rogue attack. They were in a big group, there were more of them than us, but we beat them. Nearly all of our cats have been injured but most of us are ok…" the Thunderclan cat seemed reluctant to talk. A large ginger tom pushed him aside.

"What he's trying to say is that Tornstar has lost his last life and gone to join Starclan. Our deputy was also killed and so were several warriors and Goldenpaw." There was silence in the clearing. Tornstar had been a great leader and Goldenpaw, his son, would've been the medicine cat. "However, we have struggled through this tragedy and we have chosen a new leader, a brave and noble cat whose clan humiliated him into leaving." Bitterstars stomach ached, she knew whom they had chosen as leader and so did the whole of Shadowclan. The bushes gave a final loud rustle and Lionfur, now Lionstar, stepped forward. There were gasps from the cats below. He looked up to Bitterstar, a proud smile of defiance on his. He had gotten what he had always wanted; a clan to lead. He leapt up to sit beside her and she hissed at him, before calming herself down. He would pay for this.

The rest of the night passed by quickly, Bitterstar didn't listen to the other leaders announcements, she was too busy plotting. Lionstar hadn't yet received his nine lives and if she had anything to say about it he never would.

"This gathering is over," called out Duststar, and one by one the leaders jumped down to join the other cats. Slowly she began to make her way out of the clearing, the other leaders had already disappeared and their clans were leaving in groups.

She stepped through some bushes before hearing a cat mention her fathers' name.

"As you all know Silentstar is dead." Bitterstar peered through some bushes to find that it was Lionstar who was talking about her father. Duststar, Rainstar and their deputies all sat in a small group. "He died under mysterious circumstances. I would keep my suspicions to myself but I believe that if I did we would all be in danger. I think Bitterstar knows more about his death than she is telling us. And do you think that it is chance that she got the leader position, despite having never had an apprentice. She is friends with Secretlight after all. I was suspicious from the start and she kicked me out of the clan because she knew I was onto her plot. And then Thunderclan is attacked just after I join it. This is no coincidence. She is a danger to all the clans and we must fight her now before she gains more power. Will you help me?"

The cats whispered quietly before nodding in agreement. Bitterstar growled quietly. She could see that Lionstar truly believed all the nonsense he had just come up with. In his eyes he was doing the right thing. But Bitterstar couldn't let him get away with turning the clans against her. She needed to stop him interfering permanently. They cats whispered some more but it was too quiet for her to hear. Finally they split up, all heading their separate ways. Bitterstar followed Lionstar as quietly as she could; every sense was tense and ready to leap. Her ears pricked from a sudden sound of a twig snapping and in front of her she could see Lionstar turning to see who it was. He gasped as he saw Bitterstar, already pouncing at him. In her head she could hear voices calling out to kill him. Her fathers voice drowned out the rest.

"Come on Bitterstar. Let's finish off this piece of fox dung and see what you're made of."


	10. Together Forever

A/N: Happy Valentines Day! This chapter has been on hold so that I could post it today because it's when a certain leader confesses her love to a handsome yellow eyed tom. It's a bit soppy for my likings but this chapter was bound to come in the end. hope you enjoy it.

Bitterstar flew at him, claws and fangs ready to tear him into pieces. All he could do was yowl in horror and even that was cut short as she landed, knocking the breath out of him. Half a moon ago it was the over way around, her father cruelly clawing at her but now she had the strength of nine other cats within her, she could feel them giving her their energy. She clawed at his pelt while Lionstar struggled to free himself. She showed no mercy and slashed him across the face. The world seemed to slow down; blood glistened as it flew from the wound, the droplets painting everything within their reach a rich shade of crimson red. It was beautiful.

Seeing that she was distracted, Lionstar rolled out of reach. He could've run but instead he attempted to catch her off guard. He pounced, knocking her into an awkward position. She landed on her side in the middle of a bush covered in thorns. Bitterstar snarled as Lionstar followed her in but barely had time to get up before something flew into the bush and pushed Lionstar back out. She rushed to her paws and peeked out of the bush. Pinning Lionstar to the ground was a victorious Hawkclaw. He turned to face his leader, a confused frown upon his face but she offered him no explanation. She needed to deal with the matter at hand.

"Kill him!" She ordered. Hawkclaw looked as if his tail had just been bitten. She had never sounded so demanding, so heartless, so evil. He shook his head regretfully.

"Lionstar was my friend. I have no reason to kill him." Bitterstar growled. How dare he disobey her, she was his leader. Lionstar was so near death, the blood was so close to erupting from his body. She couldn't figure out whether it was the cats possessing her or her own decision but she charged at Lionstar, hungry to hear him cry out in pain. Hawkclaw could only watch as she furiously scratched at the cats' body before delivering a final bite to his neck. She had done the deed.

Hawkclaw silently approached Bitterstar to look at what was left of her victim. They stood, shaking and covered in Lionstar's blood. His body was still leaking blood, there was a deep gash along his side and he was missing an eye, which on closer inspection had landed in a muddy patch a few paw steps away. Bitterstar was panting, it hadn't yet sunk in that she had taken this cats life.

Hawkclaw didn't know what to do. He hadn't killed the Thunderclan leader but he couldn't just leave Bitterstar to clean up her mess alone. He couldn't leave her alone whatever happened. She was crazy, there was a hunger in her eye that didn't used to be there and she had lost any trust he had placed in her. And there was the fact that he still loved her. He had known her too well and for too long to just leave her.

"What in Starclans' name are we going to do now?"

Bitterstar hissed and spun around.

"Mention Starclan once more and you'll be joining that piece of mouse dung up there." She hissed.

"What on Earth has happened to you?" Hawkclaw shouted angrily. She had pushed him around for far too long. All he had ever done was try to comfort her and keep on her good side since she became leader. Now she was pushing over the limit.

"I kill your father for you and what do I get in return? Nothing! You go and get your nine lives, change into some sort of monster and then you kill an innocent cat, all without thanking me."

"Well thank you for turning me into this monster. If you hadn't killed my father I would still be a normal cat. I would never have met Demonclan, some stupid cats would never have possessed me and I wouldn't have killed your beloved Lionstar. Happy?"

The small clearing was still, their heated argument echoed in their minds. The truth of what had happened hit Bitterstar like a monster on the Thunderpath. She collapsed in a heap, sobbing and shivering, although it was a fairly warm night. Hawkclaw rushed up to her, licking her pelt. Electric shot through the couple as their fur touched. For the first time in ages everything felt right for Bitterstar.

"I…I…love you." She muttered, pushing her nose deep into Hawkclaw's pelt to breath in his scent. He didn't need to explain how he felt; it was clear from the fact that he had stood by her no matter what had happened.

"So, what exactly is Demonclan?" The black tom asked, interrupting the peace. His leaders face clouded over with grief as memories filled her head from the past half moon. She explained what had happened while the two cats slowly dug Lionstar's grave. She finished around morning, the pair had just finished filling up the cats new resting place.

"I want you to know that I'll support you all the way. You may have been taken over by some cats, and rejected by Starclan but I'll always follow you. That's how strong our love is. I'll even follow you when we die." Hawkclaw was trembling with the enormity of the step he was taking. Bitterstar knew what to do. Quickly she lifted her paw and swiped across his left eye. They had killed together, declared their love to each other and now they would spend the afterlife together, surrounded by the fire and evil of Demonclan.


	11. The Truth Hurts

Secretlight pounced at the leader and deputy as soon as they set paws inside the camp clearing.

"It's morning! You've been gone all night? Half the clan was worried sick, the other clan was wondering if you had been killed like Lionstar." Bitterstar faked a look of shock and nudged Hawkclaw to make sure he followed her led. They couldn't draw any more suspicions to themselves.

"Lionstar died? How?" She asked, wondering how on earth anyone knew already. Maybe someone had seen the events of last night.

"Well, we don't for sure, but he didn't return to Thunderclan camp. His deputy, Sunpelt, came over to ask us if we heard or saw anything. We sent out patrols looking for all of you straight away. So, where were you?"

"We had an encounter with a pair of rogues. We chased them off, but I didn't get off without a battle wound." Hawkclaw cut in before his leader cold answer. "Could you check it for me?" The medicine cat simply nodded and led him away to get some herbs.

The dark brown tabby was glad to get some time to rest but she had only just entered her den before the familiar voice of Foxtail called her back out. She stepped out to find Duststar, Rainstar and Sunpelt stood surrounded by Shadowclan cats.

"There she is, the murdering liar!" Rainstar hissed. A wave of confusion spread through the crowd of cats. Sunpelt stepped forward to address the clan.

"Your _honorable_ leader murdered her own father to get the position of leader. And when Lionstar found out she killed him too!" The whole clan gasped looking to Bitterstar to deny this ridiculous information. But she didn't. She couldn't. There was no point.

"I could deny these claims. I could pretend not to know what you're talking about. But whatever I say you won't believe. Yes I was responsible for my fathers' death and Lionstar knew it. Then I heard you planning to attack Shadowclan and in my anger I killed Lionstar too! But they deserved what they got. If you're itching for a battle then bring it on. We'll be waiting, tomorrow at four trees."

As the other three leaders left Shadowclan stared at Bitterstar. Some looked angry, some were confused but no one knew exactly how to react.

"I for one am not going to battle on the side of a murderer," Icetail the only elder in the clan muttered. Several cats surrounding her agreed. Others defended their leader.

"She saved us from a monstrous dictator and Lionstar was plotting against her." Her head pounded as she listened to all the talking, each cat voicing their opinion on the matter. Where was Hawkclaw when she most needed her nerves calming?

"SILENCE!" She roared. The talking stopped immediately. She hissed out her next orders quietly but in a voice that told everyone not to mess wit her. "Shadowheart, Wildfang, Bluemoon; patrol the borders and look for helpful herbs. Earthpelt, Stormcloud; take the apprentices hunting. The rest of you, stay alert for any early attacks and reinforce the entrance. Anyone who has a problem with me being leader can leave." The clan shuffled about uncomfortably but no one dared speak. "Good. Foxtail, Hawkclaw, come with me."

It was dark in the leaders den. Only two sets of yellow eyes and one pair of green eyes were visible. It was how Bitterstar liked it. It was nearing sunset and they were still planning their attack, although the leader could tell that Foxtail was half hearted about the whole attack. His mate and kits had made him soft, like all those other cats questioning her authority. Eventually she got fed up of him and sent him to sleep in the apprentice den until he proved that he wouldn't chicken out of the battle. The sun was just beginning to rise when Secretlight joined the couple.

" Icetail and Earthpelt have left the clan." She reported miserably. Earthpelt was a good warrior and Icetail had always been willing to fight if she needed to.

"Pathetic cowards." Bitterstar spat.

"So did Foxtail. He took Amberflame and their kits." A flash of sadness shot through the leaders eyes before disappearing beneath all the hatred she held within them. One of her best friends had given up on her. "But he told me to tell you that he'll never forget you. He isn't joining another clan. He decided to take his family somewhere safe, beyond the Highstones. Maybe see if the rumors about the mountain cats are true. Anyway, I'd advise you two to take some rest. I'll wake you up if anything happens." Hawkclaw quickly agreed before following Secretlight out of the den. They would only start planning the attack again if they slept together. Bitterstar dragged herself to the corner of the den to rest and darkness consumed her. She was more tired than she had thought.

She opened her eyes to find her father standing before her. She was by Mothermouth. He raced inside and she quickly chased after him, to find him standing beside the Moonstone.

"Bitterstar, all is going well but your clan is small and weak. You must come here before the battle. The wall between death and the living is slowly breaking down and by the time you wake up we'll be able to enter your world again. We can help you fight and defeat the clans. They will be as good as ours." Bitterstar nodded hungrily. Ruler of all four clans. What kind of cat would she be if she let this opportunity pass her by? The dream started to fade away slowly, her father's words echoing through her head before two sudden visions flashed before her eyes. The first had shown an image of cats glowing with light. They had no features, like the shadow cats of Demonclan but something about them was peaceful and comforting. The other vision was of water crushing all of the air out of her lungs. She woke up, gasping for air. There was no time to wait; she needed to get to the moonstone.


	12. Fear

A/N: Two chapters in one day. I need to slow down. We're nearing the end of this epic adventure now and I have some good ideas for the next in the series. Anyways, there's a nice little plot twist in this chapter which hopefully none of you expected. Enjoy!

It was midnight, the moon shone brightly, lighting a path in the darkness. Bitterstar and Hawkclaws pelts brushed against each other as they ran, sending tingles through each other's warm bodies. Hawkclaw had insisted he come with her, despite Shadowclan needing him incase of a surprise attack. They would be the ones surprised when she returned to them with a whole army behind her. Hawkclaw was shivering in anticipation. She had never known the yellow-eyed warrior to be so excited. He looked innocent but he had an evil heart that even she hadn't guessed about. He raced on ahead, yowling at her to hurry up before he was out of sight.

Slowly Mothermouth came into view as well as Hawkclaw, who was itching to go inside. She came to a halt beside him and they touched noses. This was it, the moment the whole of Demonclan had been awaiting.

"Come on, all you have to do is sleep and the clans will be yours."

What he said was true. Her stomach dropped. What was she thinking? She was being controlled, this wasn't the true Bitterstar. If she went inside the cave she would kill everyone she loved.

"But you can also kill all of your enemies." A voice whispered. It hadn't been Hawkclaw, she wasn't even sure if it was the cats inside her. It felt more like her conscience "You'll bring glory and triumph to the whole of Demonclan. You'll be respected and feared. Do you think anyone respects you now? Do you think anyone has ever respected you?"

"Hawkclaw does! And Foxtail." She replied. Hawkclaw didn't seem to hear what she said. The whole conversation seemed to be taking place inside her head.

"Foxtail left, he doesn't respect you. You're just another monster. Just like your father. You belong to Demonclan. And Hawkclaw. Do you really think he loves you? He wants your power!" The tears pouring from her right eye mixed with the blood falling from the left. That was what had started it all. She had to challenge her father, didn't she? She was a weak, badly trained warrior back then and she still was. It was the cats inside her who had made her strong, fast and heartless.

"I can't do this!" She cried out suddenly, making Hawkclaw look at her questioningly. "If you want my power then fine, take it! I won't need it where I'm going." She cried out. She took off, running faster then Hawkclaw had ever seen a cat run. She was out of sight before he had a chance to make sense of what she had just said. Quickly he concocted a plan He would speak to Demonclan, release them from their slumber and then, while they traveled back to the clans to fight, he would track her down and bring her to her senses. He cautiously stepped inside the dark cave; there was no sunlight to guide him, no recent scents to follow and no one else to lead the way. He walked slowly, knowing he still had time to turn back but then he saw the moonstone and he knew it was too late. He padded up to it and touched it with his nose, ready to get the task done with.

Hawkclaw awoke to found himself surrounded by angry cat like thins. They had the same basic outline as a cat but they were completely black, none of their features showing. He wondered whether that was what happened when you died and went to Demonclan; you were consumed with darkness and just became another shadow in the crowd. They were growling, flexing their shadowy claws and lashing their tails. He had not been the cat they were expecting. He rose to his feet quickly but knew that he had already lost the fight. It was one against hundreds, maybe even thousands.

"So, you are the cat sent to release us from this tomb." A familiar voice rang out. Hawkclaw turned around to find a tower of land raised high above him. He couldn't make out whom it was standing on top. "Would you mind explaining to me where my daughter is?" The toms yellow eyes narrowed. It was Silentstar talking to him! The ground shook violently as the tower slowly lowered itself until it met with the ground Hawkclaw was standing on. Bitterstars father glared at him in a way that made his legs shake with fear.

"B-Bitterstar chickened out." He explained, bracing himself for the worst. He had seen Silentstar when he was angry and it wasn't a pretty sight. But it didn't come. Instead he growled, low and deep.

"I should've known she would. We possess her with our nine most evil cats but somehow she still manages to keep some control over herself. She is a strong cat; she would've made a great leader to the Demonclan empire. But you will do a good job taking her place." Hawkclaw jumped with shock. He had never intended to take her place. She was the clan leader, the cat with nine lives. He couldn't control people like she did or kill with out feeling sorrow.

"I don't think I could lead Demonclan."

"Did I ask for your opinion?" The dead cat interrupted. "You will lead us to victory, whether you want to or not…" He paused in the middle of his threat and his eyes stared at something behind Hawkclaw, although when he turned around to look there was nothing there. "Hurry and wake up. Shadowclan is being attacked as we speak and Starclan will be onto our plan by now."

Hawkclaw hardly had time to react before the cats surrounding him leapt at him. He closed his eyes tightly and when he opened them he found himself back in the dark cave, but instead of finding the moonstone there was a portal that he could only assume led to Demonclan. The plan was in action just like he had hoped only minutes before but now he knew how Bitterstar felt. The whole plan was wrong and evil and now he was responsible for this mess. All he could do was play along with it, follow orders and give Demonclan what they wanted; the forest and all who lived there.


	13. Almighty Starclan

A/N: Bleh. This is the worst chapter by far. It's long because it wasn't worth waiting for two nasty chapters. It was horrible to write, it's horrible to read and the only reason I wrote it was because I'm following my plan and if I changed it I would have to change a lot of other stuff. Maybe once I finish I'll edit it and save you all from having to read the badness of it, but for now it's staying put. Don't worry, the ned is in sight. I'd say two chapters to go at the least and certainly no more then five. Enjoy!

Edit: I edited the last bit so that it makes more sense later on, therefore improving the chapter ever so slightly.

Bitterstars paws ached. She was completely lost, miles away from her home and had no one to blame but herself. At first her plan had been to follow Foxtails scent but by now it was too faint and she had mixed it up with the scents of many other creatures, including dogs. This had panicked her, no cat wants to meet a dog when they're lost, confused and have no one to help them, so she ran in a random direction until she had found a tree with low enough branches to climb up. She had fallen asleep, only to be woken up by a sudden burst of rain. Now she was walking in a random direction, trying her best to keep dry and find her way back to the clans.

"Starclan, help me!" She pleaded. It had been a long time since she had said their name and she couldn't remember the last time she had prayed to them. Could they even hear her anymore or had they really rejected her? "Demonclan? Anyone!" All she needed was someone to comfort her, show her the way but she had failed both of her ancestors. Tears came to her eyes but she shook them away. She knew that crying would do her no good and suddenly felt refreshed and determined to return home. She turned back in the direction she had come from and began to follow her scent back to the tree she had slept on. Her scent was weak from the rain but as she made her way back to the moonstone she started to remember familiar things, such as a tree with red leaves and a bush with deathberries on.

Soon Bitterstar found herself back outside Mothermouth. It was morning, nearing sunhigh and all she could think about was sleep. Maybe she could talk with Demonclan and refuse to take over the clans; there was still time to save the forest. The tabby ran in, her heart pounding with anticipation. She squinted as she approached the Moonstone. There didn't appear to be anyone in there with her but something didn't feel right. Bitterstar had no time to try and find out what it was though. She curled up into a warm little ball before placing her nose on the stone and getting some much needed sleep.

When she woke up Bitterstar was startled to find herself in a clearing surrounded by tree and in the middle of which there was a pool of clear water surrounded with rocks. This wasn't the Demonclan clearing with fire raining down from above. It filled the she-cat with a peaceful feeling.

"Welcome to Starclan." A voice as smooth as honey announced. At first Bitterstar felt her heart sink. Was she dead? Then she realized that she was in Starclan. She'd never expected to end up here, especially in a dream where she intended to go visit Demonclan.

"Why am I here?"

She asked, turning to face the cat that had spoke. She found a group of cats, at the front was a beautiful brown she-cat. She looked as calm as Bitterstar felt but her sparkling green flashed with sadness, followed by so many different feelings that it would take a long time to figure out exactly how the cat felt. If Bitterstar hadn't been so tired from her journey she would've noticed how familiar the she-cat looked to her but instead she looked behind her to look at the other cats. Some she felt sure she had seen before, some she recognized straight away and others were complete strangers but they all had a faint golden aura surrounding them. Bitterstar had never felt so dirty in the presence of such clean cats, and not just physically clean either. It was safe to say that most of the cats standing opposite her had never killed or even thought of doing such a thing.

"You would be surprised what some of the cats up here have done." The brown she-cat said gently, as if reading the leaders mind. "Some of us have done things that we regret but all of them were done with the thought of protecting the clan."

"You didn't answer my question." Bitterstar snapped, remembering why she was here. She couldn't idly chat. Demonclan could be planning anything, all the clans were in danger and most importantly she needed to apologize to Hawkclaw. She she-cat paused, searching for answers.

"…You are here because…Demonclan have been released from their prison. There is so much evil in the clans that they finally overpowered us and broke the bond between the afterlife and the forest. Now they are trying to take over the forest. We need you to wake up and lead us into battle against them. There are a lot of them but with the power of good and all four clans behind us, there is no way we can fail."

Bitterstar felt sick. She might not be evil enough to lead Demonclan but she was nowhere near as good as any of the cats standing before her. She had killed for her own gain and was planning on helping Demonclan. And the talk of good triumphing over evil wasn't helping either.

"Maybe I don't want to lead my warrior ancestors into battle." She muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

"It doesn't matter if you want to or not. We will battle with or without you as leader. And as soon as you wake up we will be free." It was clear that Starclan couldn't care less about the young she-cat. They were just using her to stop Demonclan. Did any of her ancestors truly care about her?

"You're going to have to make me wake up. I refuse to be used anymore," Bitterstar declared, stamping the ground with her front paw.

"We aren't afraid to sacrifice one cat for the sake of the clans." A familiar voice rang out. Pushing his way through the crowd was Lionstar. Bitterstar snarled. "She had been given nine lives from Demonclan, so she is one of their followers. The only way to stop her is to take all of her lives away!" He cried out. Bitterstar had never felt so angry in her life. If they had kept control of Demonclan she would never have received the lives. She unsheathed her claws but she knew that she was already surrounded. She couldn't kill a cat that was already dead anyway. They began to surround her to stop her from running. Strangely, she still felt calm even though she knew that they were about to kill her.

"Stop!" It was the brown cat with green eyes again. "If we kill her she'll join them and never wake up."

"She's right. And Bitterstar looks worn out anyway. It won't be long before she has to close her eyes and wake up." Lionstar announced grumpily. She knew that if he had his way she would already be dead. There was silence and Bitterstar felt that all eyes were on her. She felt empty and longed to wake up so that this dream would end. She couldn't even remember why she was protecting Demonclan anyway. Her will to stay asleep, awake, she couldn't tell anymore, wasn't working and soon she felt her eyes closing. She opened them again quickly but it was too late. She was back in the cave but instead of looking at the moonstone she was looking straight into a portal, which no doubt led to Starclan. She watched in fear as cats began pouring out, at the front was Lionstar. They all appeared to have a golden glow and could no longer make out any of their features. It was her vision, coming true. She gulped in fear. Would her vision of Hawkclaw also come true?


	14. Battle

A/N: **Important!!!! Please read the last chapter because I changed it near the end.** I decided to get the storyfinished today instead of doing my homeowrk, so I spent a couple of hours reading through the story and writing the ending. After I post the end I'll proably edit the thing to make it better. Especially since I realised that I was using the U.S English spellchecker on Word, when I'm actually British, so some spellings are different. Anyways, one more chapter after this. I might post it tomorrow or by the end of today depending on whether I want to leave you on a cliff hanger or not. Enjoy!

Although her paws felt as though they were on fire, Bitterstar couldn't afford to stop running. She had watched in terror as they had quickly organized themselves, hardly believing what she saw to be real. Then they had set off in four groups, one for each clan. She had no idea how they could battle and win against cats who were already dead but they had cleared that up by mentioning something about how dealing a lethal blow would send them back to where they belong. They didn't seem to notice her cowering against the cave wall but as soon as they left she ran as quickly as she could towards Shadowclan.

As she ran she could hear cries of cats, smell the blood in the air and even came across a Thunderclan cat struggling to fight against two Demonclanners. As much as she wanted to, Bitterstar couldn't stop. Only one cat mattered to her. The only thing in the whole forest that felt familiar was the endless love she would feel towards Hawkclaw. Fantasies ran through her head of them finding each other and padding off into the sunset to join Foxtail and his family. Maybe this battle would mean the end to all her bad luck and she could return to her old self, although it felt as if she already had.

The sky was dark, it felt like midnight but with the sky covered in dark clouds Bitterstar couldn't see the moon or the sun. It was almost as if time was standing still as the war between good and evil begun. In front of her stood Shadowclan territory but it didn't have the same warmth and comfort as it had when she had last walked through the grounds. The leader was sure that her vision was coming true and it was confirmed as soon as she stepped into the clans clearing. She was bowled over by the stench of death and couldn't bare to look at the wreckage left behind from when Demonclan had been there.

She could see Ashpaw, the clans' best apprentice, covered in his own blood. There were so many scratches on him that it was hard to tell which had been the one to kill him. Beside him Shadowheart, his father, was still twitching and although his eyes were open and he was looking straight at her it was obvious that he had been blinded because his expression didn't change. He gave one last shudder before the twitching stopped. He wasn't even badly injured; Bitterstar knew he had given up the will to live. But where there was death there was also hope. There was no sign or scent of Secretlight and several other warriors. Even if Shadowclan was destroyed they could always rebuild it. She herd claws scrapping against rock and knew immediately who it would be.

She turned to look at the same time as Hawkclaw reached the top. Their eyes met, he was wearing the same look of victory on his face and the same blood on his pelt as the vision had shown but suddenly the smile broke and turned into a gasp. Regret poured through him faster than the water surrounding Riverclan. She knew instantly that he had been the one to free Demonclan. She had never imagined that he was so hungry for power. He had never imagined that he would be so foolish as to just follow orders and not think about his clan.

Bitterstar was just about to run out of the clearing when suddenly a glowing light shone over her. Before she could see what was going on there was a yowl as Hawkclaw was pushed off of the rock. Starclan cats began to fill up the clearing, chasing the shadowy Demonclan cats. Bitterstar appreciated now that they didn't just look like normal cats. It would be almost impossible to tell the two sides apart. Although curiosity told her to stay and watch the fighting the tabby ran over to the rock to find out what had pushed Hawkclaw off it. She hardly noticed cats from Thunderclan, Riverclan and Windclan rushing into the clearing to help with the fight. All she could see was Hawkclaws dead body pinned down by none over then Lionstar.


	15. Kissing Life Goodbye

A/N: Last chapter! Yay! It gets sad at the end, but now I can start writing the next story in the series, although I might write a murder mystery thingy first. Thankies to everyone who bothered to read this far, I know there are very few of you, and any feedback now that it's over would be appreciated. I also hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it for people to enjoy reading it, if you get what I mean. Bye!

She hissed, her body shaking. With the clans on the verge of destruction the last thing she needed was the death of the only cat she had ever loved. She liked Foxtail, she liked Secretlight, she liked her father despite all the pain he had put her through. But she loved Hawkclaw. Now with blood spilling out from his body it was too late to show him how much she cared. He had died thinking he had lost her for good. She couldn't even remember the last words they had shared, but they were undoubtedly words that should've been left unsaid.

She couldn't even kill Lionstar as revenge, although it was comforting to know that he had died because of both her and Hawkclaws efforts. She leapt at him with the power she could summon. All her rage, sorrow and desires to kill combined together into one painful bite that left the killer in tatters. She had torn through his neck, almost beheading him. There was no blood but the glowing slowly dimmed down before changing to pure black. By killing Hawkclaw for his own selfish reasons he had earned himself a one-way ticket to Demonclan. His body faded away before her eyes, leaving her there to grieve.

"He will not be accepted into Starclan." A familiar voice muttered from upon the rock. She turned to find it was the brown cat with green eyes from Starclan. Beside her sat her father, as if they couldn't care less about the battle going on behind them. Both of their eyes shined with tears as they shared her sorrow, but Bitterstar couldn't cry. Even after all she had been through. The tear well had dried up, making her feel even worse.

"He hasn't done anything bad enough to come and join Demonclan either." Her father murmured.

"Where will he go?" Bitterstar pleaded, desperately. How would she ever see him again if he wasn't in either of her ancestor clans? He would be lost and alone until the end of time. The two older cats could only offer her their sympathy before leaving to help with the fight again. Bitterstar dragged the poor, broken body of the cat she loved across Shadowclan territory until she passed the scent markers. No cat had ever been out of this side of the territory. It was too far back and held no useful prey. She dug deep into the ground beneath a tree. It was big and would shade him from rain and too much sun. If she was going to bury him anywhere, it would be outside the clans in a peaceful place just like this. She said her goodbyes to him, and touched noses for the last time. Then she gently nudged him into the grave and covered him up.

Inside she was screaming and crying and begging for him to live. As she re-entered Shadowclan territory she could no longer hear fighting. The camp was mostly empty apart from the bodies littering the ground but then she saw a Shadowclanners sitting at the far side. Demonclan had obviously been defeated and Starclan had returned them to where they belonged. The scent of herbs filled the air as Secretlight came rushing out of the medicine cats' den with a mouthful of cobwebs and berries to help any of the cats who were still alive. She couldn't face returning to the clan. She had to join Hawkclaw in the after life and make sure that he wasn't lonely. She couldn't leave him. It would be moons before she died naturally and she was sure that the same fate would come to her in the end; her ancestors would abandon her.

She knew what her last vision had meant. She had been concentrating on the other two so much that she had almost forgotten it but now it made sense. She began to head for the falls near Riverclan, running so fast on her tired feet that the world around her became a blur. It would all be over soon enough.

Bitterstar stood before to falls, her heart beating crazily and her tail twitching from fear. Before she could do anything though she had to do one final task; getting rid of her extra lives.

"I reject these lives given to me by Demonclan. May the souls who possessed my body leave me and live on inside the future leaders of Shadowclan. Give them one of my skills to help them with their leadership. Be it sight, so that they always know what's coming. Strength, to bring them the fear and respect of their followers. Speech, to shame their enemies. Give them pain to pass on to their enemies or sorrow, which their enemies will no doubt bring to them. Give them deception to trick and tease or give them the ambition to get whatever they want."

Bitterstar felt drained of all her energy and she knew that soon it would be time to rest. She had given up every life but one; pure evil. She couldn't allow any other cats to come so close to destroying the clans. From now on, no matter how bad the cat seemed, Bitterstar could rest assured knowing that they would always have a speck of good. And giving the leaders of Shadowclan bad traits would keep the clans cautious and aware of the dangers of evil. Although to other cats that she had said would sound like a curse, to her she knew that it was more like a blessing in disguise. She took a deep breath taking in her surroundings for the last time.

"I hope I find you Hawkclaw." She whispered to herself as she plunged into the cold water, kissing life goodbye.


End file.
